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Re: OT: American Politics

Tess Owen @misstessowen
"The office of Sheriff is a critical part of the Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement. We must never erode this historic office" : Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaking at the National Sheriff's Association winter conference in DC. @vicenews

Re: OT: American Politics

Of the US as a superpower...I agree. Of the US as the main broker of power in a unipolar world?
That Imo is clearly ending way before it otherwise would have.

Nothing that a strong leader taking power in 2020 can't solve. Trump has not yet done irreparable damage in that regard, not yet at least.

In terms of hard power the US is unchallenged, in terms of soft power it's being spanked right now, but the damage isn't permanent, and in the terms of economic power, only China is a worthy adversary and even then, it's going to take a long time for the global economic order to shift from New York to Beijing. And we are of course assuming China can keep its system held together with a increasingly worldly,wealthy, techy and assertive middle class running up against corrupt rigid communist political structure.

The thing about superpowers is that there can be more than one at a time, the soviet union and america for example, but the only way for one to fall out of that category is for another to eclipse it in every way, like Russia after the breakup of the USSR.

And as long as America is a superpower they will retain some their power as a power broker, and it can wait out shitty leaders.

Re: OT: American Politics

Originally Posted by CH1

America's internal fights will take away from its international power.

True, a ever increasing challenge facing every President since they have won the cold war. Without a external force for Americans to unite against they tend to start fighting more and more against themselves. And, in the case of the Republicans, even among their own party.

I do have faith that in any true international threat that Americans still have it in them to come together.

Re: OT: American Politics

“I would say there’s probably never been a more discouraging time for those concerned about the debt and the deficit because even our allies have taken a powder,” said Bradford Cook, a New Hampshire lawyer and longtime donor to the Concord Coalition, which advocates for fiscal responsibility in Washington.

“I used to be optimistic that we might be able to have some influence,” Cook added. Now, “we’re kind of that voice crying in the wilderness.”

After deficits ballooned during the last recession, President Barack Obama established a bipartisan commission charged with figuring out how to rein things in, known as Simpson-Bowles after its co-chairmen, former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) and Erskine Bowles.

While Obama and Republicans in Congress failed to strike a “grand bargain” based on the commission’s recommendations, annual deficits shrunk anyway due to spending cuts, the expiration of some of President George W. Bush’s tax cuts and an improving economy.

President Donald Trump vowed during the 2016 campaign that he’d go further, telling The Washington Post he’d get rid of the full national debt — which at the time stood at more than $19 trillion — within eight years if he won. (The Post’s fact-checker ruled that impossible and chided him for “insulting the intelligence of Americans” by suggesting it could be done.)

Re: OT: American Politics

Elizabeth Tsurkov @Elizrael
4m
In the second case Netanyahu was recorded negotiating w/ Yediot Aharonot Daily publisher Noni Mozes to alter Israeli law to financially benefit the publisher in exchange for a change to the (highly negative) tone of Netanyahu's coverage by the paper.
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